The invention concerns a separating element for separating at least one liquid from a gas flow, wherein the separating element can be arranged in a separating container of a liquid separator, wherein the separating container comprises a container opening, a housing, and a cover embodied for closing off the container opening. The separating element has a monolithically embodied collar that can be arranged between the housing of the separating container and the cover of the separating container and is designed to be supported on an upper area of the housing which is facing the cover. The separating element has a sealing element that has a sealing surface designed for sealing the separating container wherein the sealing surface can be arranged between the upper area of the housing and the cover such that the separating container is sealed relative to the ambient pressure. The sealing element is captively secured on the collar, wherein holding of the sealing element on the collar is realized by means of at least one holding element that is monolithically formed with the sealing element.
Liquid separators or fluid separators are used in motor vehicles and industrial motors, for example, as integral oil separating containers in screw compressors. The separating element is arranged in a separating container that comprises two parts, i.e., a cover, and the housing. For exchanging the separating element, the cover can be detached from the housing. In the operating state, cover and housing are seal-tightly connected to each other by means of a seal.
The compressed air generation that takes place, for example, in screw compressors requires due to the operating principle a separation of the operating fluid oil from an oil/compressed air flow. For a reliable material separation in these processes, ensuring the spatial separation of the retentate side from the filtrate side is in particular of great importance, in addition to the proper selection of the filter material. For this reason, it is particularly important to mount the separating element in the separating container in a seal-tight way.
In prescribed servicing intervals, the separating element and the seal must be exchanged. In order to ensure that an unused properly arranged seal is used, the publications EP 2 099 544 B1 and DE 10 2007 046 209 A1 disclose a liquid separator with a folded filter medium and a seal that is captively secured on the collar of the separating element. However, it is disadvantageous that the seal which is disclosed in the publications EP 2 099 544 B1 and DE 10 2007 046 209 A1 is joined non-detachably with the collar of the separating element.
The publication EP 2 481 460 A1 discloses a filter element for filtration of fuel with a T-shaped seal that is attached by means of securing knobs. This seal is fastened on a two-part seal support of the filter element. The collar of the filter element must therefore be of a two-part configuration for fastening the seal.
In FIG. 2 of the publication DE 2001 11 003 U1, the seal is fastened on the collar of the separating element by means of an integrated fastening ring. The fastening ring is non-detachably fastened on the collar. The seal can be detachably attached by means of holding knobs on the fastening ring. This construction is however relatively complex.
In FIG. 8 of the publication DE 2001 11 003 U1 as well as in the publications U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,563 and WO 2011/088290 A2 it is disclosed that the seal is attached by means of a formed portion in U-shape on the collar of the separating element. The configuration in U-shape requires however a comparatively large amount of sealing material.